Avengers: Next Generation
by lanamere
Summary: The Avengers are getting older. Pretty soon S.H.E.I.L.D. Will have to retire them for their own good. Nick Fury refuses to allow the Avengers Initiative to be abandoned, and begins Operation Generations to find the next generation of heroes. Can the new team survive the challenges before them? Rated T for cussing! Hint of romance
1. SHEILD Headquarters

**I got this idea and since my muses didn't give me anything else I decided to trust them to have something in mind and wrote it out. Sure enough, I got an idea for Teen Titans: Back to School (angel choir =P) But I thought this idea deserved it's own story so, here you go. Enjoy! **

* * *

**S.H.E.I.L.D. Headquarters**

"Director Fury, the Avengers are getting older. They are beginning to have trouble in battle, and their bodies won't hold up as long from all the beatings they've taken. They won't last forever, and not too much longer before they'll have to be retired for their own good. We really need to begin thinking about replacing them."

"What options do we have that can possibly live up to the Avengers? Besides, that's not a priority right now. They still have to be accepted as a viable international defense team. They are mostly accepted by the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the U.K., but other countries are skeptical."

"Well there is Operation Generations. It was composed early on in the creating of the Avengers Initiative, when it was recognized that no heroes would last forever."

"How extensive is it?"

"There are several procedures and methods that can be used to locate and assess whether someone is a viable candidate for The Avengers."

"Good. initiate it."

"However we run the risk of finding no one who will actually cooperate and agree to join, or have the new team fall apart as the last team almost did when they were brought together to fight Loki."

"That's a risk we should be willing to take. Initiate it."

"Yes sir."


	2. Phase 1: Locate Targets

**I know I should be working on my Back to School fic but once again my muses are speaking more for this story than that one, so I sent with it. Don't worry they're slowly coming back for Back to School and I trust they have a plan for me. Hopefully by the end ofNGOs coming week I'll have a new chapter up on that one for all the lovely readers of it. Anyways here's Chapter 2! Enjoy! =) **

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**Phase 1: Locating Targets **

**In Operations HQ **

Nick Fury stood at his spot in HQ, surveying and keeping an eye on everything. His top agents in the search and locate field were hard at work, searching for young people that would be good candidates for the Avengers Initiative Generation 2. Steve Rogers stood beside him, watching, still a little awestruck by how easily they used the computers.

"Still not used to the technology?" Fury asked.

"Don't think I ever fully will be." Steve said. He saw them doing the different scans on files and that most of the ones coming up were teenagers and children. "What're they doing?"

Fury clapped him on the back a bit, and started walking. Steve followed. "They are in Phase 1 of Operation Generations." Fury said.

"Operation Generations?"

"An operation designed to find new young heroes and train them."

"Train them Sir? Are we expanding The Avengers team?"

"Not exactly. You see, the young people we find and decide to take in and train will most likely at some point fight beside you. But they are also to become the next generation of Avengers."

"Next generation?" Steve asked carefully, not entirely sure he liked where this was going.

Fury sighed. "How to put this...Steve, you're getting on in years."

"I can still fight, sir. And with all due respect I'm not sure adding children to the team would be a good idea."

"I'm aware of that. But how much longer can you keep this up before your body gives out? Before you damage yourself beyond repair? Steve, at some point, I will be forced to retire you and the other Avengers. I don't like it any more than you do, and hopefully it won't be any time in the near future. But one of these days, probably within a few years of each other, you'll have to be retired for your own safety. It may be soon, hopefully it will be a while yet. You may all be retired at once, or you may be gradually retired one by one or in groups of two or three."

Steve gulped. "What happens then?"

"You rejoin the normal citizenry. We'll ensure you're taken care of, and that you can easily blend in, give you a few ways to keep up all your interests and hobbies."

Steve glanced at the screens. "So these kids are going to be the next generation of Avengers?"

Fury shook his head. "Not all of them. We'll look at all the ones with potential, keep an eye on them, and then take the top and train them to be Avengers. Other top qualifiers who don't make it as Avengers we may recommend to the X-Men or some other group or they may become regular S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents."

"So you're going along and tracking them?"

"The contenders that we find, yes. Phase 1 is to locate all possible targets. That's what they're doing right now." Fury said.

"How long will Phase 1 last?" Fury shrugged.

"Hard to say. But once we get through Phase 1, it'll vary. Those that we found earlier on will probably have a shorter response time. They'll be targeted and we'll keep a close eye on them and then send an agent in to explain things. Then they will come here if they agree to join and will begin training."

"Hm."

Fury sighed. "Steve, I don't like it any more than you do. I don't like the idea of just setting you aside once you're worn out and then replace you. But it's for the better. There's no telling when exactly you'll have to be retired, but one day I'll be forced to because it would be damn cruel to keep you in there fighting. You will be remembered, by all of S.H.E.I.L.D. and the government if by no one else, and the next generation will remember you, because I want you and the team to work together to help train them. Once they learn the basics from us, you and the other Avengers will take over their education."

Steve nodded. "It would be an honor Director." he glanced at a row of screens showing the faces and information of some kids that were of interest. There was information about each of them.

* * *

**Liam Carlson **

14

Male

Can change his body into different things and take on their hardness.

Family: N/A

History: was donated as a test subject as a baby for a chemical serum that allowed humans to change the chemical makeup of their body; escaped from laboratory and has been on the streets for 5 years

Hometown: N/A

Current Location: Kansas City, Kansas

* * *

**Hope Matthews**

13 and a half

Female

Master at multiple weapons, excellent hand to hand fighting skills, assassin training; Black Mantra after her

Family: James Matthews (deceased) Lily Matthews (deceased)

History: N/A

Hometown: N/A

Current Location: Phoenix, Arizona

* * *

"This one in particular we need to watch. We need to be ready to assist her if the Black Mantra and his mafia gang are after her." Fury said, pointing at Hope.

Steve nodded. "It must be hard being do different so young. Having people after you, needing to watch your back, always on the run..."

Fury nodded. "We just have to hope she can handle herself until she passes the board's inspection."

Steve nodded and watched as the names continued popping up with the pictures of the children, and their files, with all the available information on them. "We can pray."


End file.
